NW Atlanta News

Rep. Barry Loudermilk has expressed his approval for the introduction of a companion bill to the Modern Employment, Improvement, and Transformation (MERIT) Act in the U.S. Senate by Senator Tim Sheehy. The MERIT Act aims to address inefficiencies and corruption within government bureaucracy.

Rep. Loudermilk introduced the House version of the MERIT Act, H.R. 687, on January 23, 2025. He stated, "Americans are tired of funding the fraud, waste, and abuse within our bloated federal government bureaucracy. With the passage of the MERIT Act, Americans will have a government they can be proud of again." He emphasized that transparency and accountability are crucial for maintaining integrity in the federal government.

Senator Tim Sheehy echoed these sentiments: "It’s well past time for the federal government to stop operating like a runaway train to nowhere and hold itself to the same standards that millions of hardworking Americans in the private sector hold themselves to every day."

The MERIT Act proposes several measures including repealing Chapter 43's special process against poor performers, streamlining Chapter 75 for employee removal or suspension, allowing agencies to remove senior executives based on performance rather than demotion, authorizing recoupment of bonuses if misconduct is found, and affecting retirement benefits for employees removed due to felony convictions related to their official duties.

The Senate version was introduced with support from Senators Kevin Cramer and Cindy Hyde Smith. In addition to Rep. Loudermilk's backing in the House, other representatives supporting include Buddy Carter, Erin Houchin, Rick Crawford among others.